Petrauske, known as "German Pete" in the Cornish town of Falmouth around which much of the offending is said to have taken place, told Truro Crown Court he was the victim of a case of mistaken identity.

Kemp, who was said to have been friends with notorious Cornish child abuser Stan Pirie before his conviction and death in the last decade, said his accusers had lied and conspired against him.

Both deny the charges, including indecent assault and, in Petrauske's case, rape.

Judge Graham Cottle told the jury of nine men and three women to put any pre-conceptions about paganism and witches to one side when retiring to consider the verdict.